


support the head

by anxietyrobot



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Angst, Child Care, Implied Character Death, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxietyrobot/pseuds/anxietyrobot
Summary: Draxum needs Splinter's help.
Relationships: Baron Draxum/Splinter (TMNT)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59





	support the head

Splinter looked on with a wide grin as Draxum struggled to get Joseph into a onesie.

“You could help!” Draxum called out right before Joseph slapped him with a greasy meaty tentacle.

“I’m having fun right here,” Splinter replied.

“Could you at least get his bottle?” Draxum said, exasperated. “If I knew you would just stand there and watch as I struggled I wouldn’t have bothered debasing myself by asking for your help.”

Splinter waved his complaints off as he moseyed down to the kitchen. He grabbed the rinsed out bottle and poured in the mutant yokai baby formula that Draxum concocted for Joseph. He remembered all the trials and tribulations of finding out what to feed his growing boys and was jealous that Draxum came better prepared on that knowledge front. He tested the mixture on his wrist, satisfied it was the proper temperature before bringing it back to Draxum.

“Finally!” Draxum said, grabbing the bottle from Splinter’s hands. He tried to maneuver Joseph in his arms so that he could feed him, but the meat baby wouldn’t stop tossing and crying its weird garbled cries.

“You’re holding him wrong,” Splinter scolded and reached out to grab the flailing Joseph from Draxum. Draxum relinquished him without a fight. The man looked like he was one more sleepless night away from falling apart at the seams.

“You’re supposed to support the head,” Splinter instructed. He cradled Joseph and the baby stopped crying at once. He held out his hand for the bottle and Draxum gave it to him, mesmerized by this seemingly impossible trick Splinter pulled.

“You’re so good at this,” he said distractedly.

“Of course I’m good at this, I raised four boys. And a fish,” Splinter replied, a warm smile spreading as he saw Joseph take his bottle without a fuss. He glanced up a few times to see Draxum staring as if enchanted by how easy it looked. Joseph finished the bottle in no time and Splinter automatically tried to burp him, the instincts he developed raising the boys coming to the forefront again.

“Want to try holding him again?” Splinter asked as he gently rocked Joseph. Draxum reached out his arms, taking Joseph and moving as instructed by Splinter. Joseph looked between the two of them, then grabbed Splinter’s fingers with his tentacle that functioned as a rudimentary hand.

“He really likes you,” Draxum said and it shocked Splinter that he didn’t hear a note of jealousy in the statement. They sat there for a moment, the perfect picture of a weirdo family. “Do you think you could come over more often?”

Splinter glanced up from Joseph, seeing a blush spreading across Draxum’s face.

“Of course.”

\--

It felt like their entire world was coming down on them.

In the chaos, Splinter saw Draxum sprawled on the ground, his groan barely audible over the concrete falling down around them. Splinter ran to him, clutching him to help him up only to realize his robe was wet with blood.

Panicked, he frantically searched for a solution. He found a pile of rubble that looked architecturally sound enough to not crush them when providing some cover.

“You’re so heavy,” Splinter groaned as he dragged Draxum to temporary safety. Splinter expected Draxum to quip back, act insulted or turn it back around on Splinter, saying something along the lines of him no longer being as strong as he used to be, but Draxum just groaned in response. There was a trail of blood mixing in with the dirt and dust on the floor.

Splinter laid Draxum down on the ground. Draxum’s hand fluttered weakly around his body, pressing and releasing, before he clutched at the ground, unable to concentrate on one area to apply pressure to; his neck bent painfully on the uneven ground. Splinter looked for something to support it before tenderly cupping the back of his head.

“So what’s the plan?” Splinter hated how he couldn’t keep the panic out of his voice.

“Leave me.”

“You can’t take the Shredder alone--”

“I know.”

Splinter looked at the man in shock. He looked for any sign of a joke, anything that betrayed some secret plan Draxum was saving for a surprise attack. All he saw was Draxum eyes start to go distant.

“Draxum--” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

A heavy silence fell over them.

“I thought I loved you then, but I’m sure of it now,” Draxum whispered, almost as if hoping the softness of the words would make them disappear before they reached Splinter’s ears. Tears began overflowing down Splinter’s cheeks and Draxum raised a shaky hand to try and wipe them away. He nearly let it drop when he realized it was covered in dirt and grime but Splinter seized it and pressed it to his wet cheek as he leaned into the touch.

“I’m not leaving you,” Splinter said, eyes shut, Draxum bleeding on the ground too painful of an image to keep his eyes open for.

“You have to,” Draxum said, his thumb gently wiping away the tears. “You said yourself that I’m too heavy.” Splinter could hear a bittersweet attempt at humor playing on his voice.

“No--!” Splinter began, clutching onto Draxum’s arm and the back of his head as if tethering himself like this would make the outcome any different.

“Our boys need you,” Draxum said and Splinter could hear his voice break. He opened his eyes to find Draxum crying too, chest rising in painful jolts as he tried to stop himself from weeping. “Please…”

Splinter hesitated, their labored breath mingling in the still air of their temporary haven. He kissed him so suddenly that he could feel Draxum’s body go completely still before he finally returned the kiss.

“Come find us later,” Splinter said as he slowly moved back from Draxum, resting his head on the ground again. “We can continue where we left off.”

A smile tugged at the corner of Draxum’s lips. “I’d like that.”

Splinter darted out from the cover towards his boys, trying not to think of the fact that there probably won’t be a later.

**Author's Note:**

> now if you'll excuse me ill be crying over my own fic
> 
> also if there's any typos its because i got too emotional


End file.
